Amid high unemployment in Indonesia, the country is preparing for an influx of foreign labourers due to the ASEAN Economic Community.
The Indonesian government is planning to be stricter with regulating the recruitment of foreigners who wish to work in Indonesia. This will help the country avoid an influx of foreign nationals, mainly unskilled, flocking to Indonesia with the start of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) this year.
Even before the AEC went into effect on January 1 this year, a growing number of foreign workers, especially from China, had entered the country. Now that the AEC is in effect, it is feared that many more will coming, and the local workforce fears their jobs will be replaced, evident in Labour Day marches held in the capital on May 1.
In a statement to Koran Tempo, Maruli Hasoloan, a representative from the Ministry of Manpower, said that the government was still working on revising current regulations on foreign workers. He revealed that the revised regulations would include new items to ensure that foreign workers seeking to work in Indonesia be highly skilled. It will also clearly state which sectors foreigners can work in and what positions can go to them.
“They will not be field workers because we can supply such workers,” Hasoloan said.
The Ministry of Manpower will explain the updated regulations, including the consequences for any violations made, by summoning business executives employing foreigners. Officials noted that violating these regulations will result in being fined up to Rp.400 million or one to four years’ imprisonment.